Latest news with #rhabdomyolysis
The Sun
a day ago
- General
- The Sun
Woman, 24, left battling fatal ‘muscle death' condition triggered by her first ever spin class
A WOMAN landed in intensive care with a fatal condition triggered by pushing herself too much during her first spin class. The 24-year-old had rhabdomyolysis, which is when overworked muscles die, break down and leak toxins into the blood. 1 These toxins can damage the kidneys and cause them to stop working, which can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. Spinning is a high-intensity indoor cycling workout that targets the large muscles in the thighs and glutes. It's hugely popular for its fast calorie burn and endurance boost, but the intense effort can sometimes push beginners too far, medics describing the case in Cureus warned. They said that young women, especially those with high BMIs have "adequate" energy and "muscle bulk" - like the woman in the case report - to do spinning. "This endurance and some over-enthusiasm can lead them to spin for prolonged durations at varying intensities," they wrote. "Combined with dehydration, lack of fitness and the muscle mass of the quadriceps make them more prone to rhabdomyolysis after their first spinning session," they added. Just two days after the class, the unnamed woman was unable to walk upstairs as her thighs throbbed. But her pain was unusually severe, and when her pee turned from clear to brown, she knew something was seriously wrong. She went to hospital where tests showed her creatine kinase levels, a marker of muscle damage, were more than 50 times the normal limit. Tests and scans revealed that muscle cells in her thighs had ruptured, releasing harmful substances like myoglobin into her bloodstream putting severe strain on her kidneys. Bizarre medical case reports Doctors immediately started her on IV fluids to flush the toxins from her system and closely monitored her kidney function to prevent failure. After five days of intensive treatment, her muscle enzyme levels finally dropped, and her kidney function began to improve. She was eventually discharged and made a full recovery - but doctors warn that pushing too hard in a first spin class can trigger this rare, life-threatening condition. "We recommend gradual, low-intensity training or periodic training with adequate hydration and replenishing the fluid loss for all young women engaging in indoor cycling for weight reduction in the early phases of their fitness program," they wrote. "Awareness regarding warm-ups and cool-downs should be given to all beginners involved in indoor spinning," they added. What is rhabdomyolysis? Rhabdomyolysis, called rhabdo for short, happens when muscles are pushed too hard and start to die and break down, releasing toxins into the bloodstream. These toxins can seriously damage your kidneys and even cause kidney failure if untreated. Common causes: Intense exercise (like spin classes or heavy lifting) Muscle injury or trauma Certain medications or infections Symptoms: Severe muscle pain and weakness Swelling and stiffness Dark or brown urine (a key warning sign) Fatigue and fever Why it's dangerous: The toxins released can overload the kidneys, which filter your blood, leading to kidney damage or failure. Treatment: Early hospital care with IV fluids helps flush toxins and protect kidney function. Most people recover fully with prompt treatment. If you experience severe muscle pain after exercise and notice dark urine, get medical help fast.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cheer coaches accused of putting a team member in hospital after grueling workout - and its not the first time its happened at the school
The family of a North Texas high school cheerleader is suing three of the school's former coaches after their extreme workouts allegedly landed the girl in hospital. According to the lawsuit, while employed by Rockwall Heath High School, the defendants would force the students to do strenuous exercises — like 50 burpees with pushups in five minutes — as a form of punishment. Michael Sawicki, the attorney representing the cheerleader, told NBC DFW that his client was already feeling ill and even had a doctor's note saying she was sick, but social pressures compelled her to try to push through the workout. A week later she was in the hospital suffering from rhabdomyolysis, according to the lawsuit. Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which the skeletal muscle tissue breaks down and releases its contents into the bloodstream, and it can be caused by overuse of the muscles. When the skeletal muscle material enters the bloodstream, it can potentially lead to kidney failure. 'There was pressure by the teachers that if you don't perform you don't get to go, you don't get to participate in activities. You don't get to be on the squad, and for young kids that really want to be on a team, that's a powerful motivation to work through the pain,' Sawicki said. 'And that's exactly what happened to the boys in the football case.' It's not the first time the school has been linked to a case of rhabdomyolysis among its student athletes, either. In 2023, several football players from the high school were hospitalized and reportedly diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis after being forced to do similarly grueling exercises, Sawicki, who represented a handful of players in lawsuits, said. 'This is Rockwall Heath High School. The exact same high school where the 20+ boys that we know of were hospitalized or required treatment after a football workout,' Sawicki said. 'If I had gotten this call about another school in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, yeah maybe I could understand. This is the same exact school.' One of the findings in that case was the need for better education for the teachers about the potential risks associated with extreme physical activity. Sawicki said that "in the football investigation, there were discussions about how [rhabdomyolysis] training needed to be a part of it." According to the cheerleader's lawsuit, a one of the coaches allegedly admitted that she had "no rhabdomyolysis training," and said that in hindsight "I would not assign [burpees] again." All three of the coaches named in the lawsuit have resigned their positions on the cheer team. A Rockwall Independent School District investigation found that the "three teachers' actions violated at least five different district policies," according to the report. The investigation determined that the cheer coaches "did not follow the doctor's orders" in its handling of the sick cheerleader, and noted that "there is a lack of knowledge and training by the coaches regarding rhabdomyolysis." Initially the girl's parents just wanted the school to pay for her medical bills, but the Sawicki claims the school "dragged out" the appeals process for months and then determined that "by law, please know that the district is unable to provide compensation because such compensation would be a prohibited gift of public funds." After that, the parents decided to sue. The Independent has requested comment from Rockwall ISD.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Cheer coaches accused of putting a team member in hospital after grueling workout - and its not the first time its happened at the school
The family of a North Texas high school cheerleader is suing three of the school's former coaches after their extreme workouts allegedly landed the girl in hospital. According to the lawsuit, while employed by Rockwall Heath High School, the defendants would force the students to do strenuous exercises — like 50 burpees with pushups in five minutes — as a form of punishment. Michael Sawicki, the attorney representing the cheerleader, told NBC DFW that his client was already feeling ill and even had a doctor's note saying she was sick, but social pressures compelled her to try to push through the workout. A week later she was in the hospital suffering from rhabdomyolysis, according to the lawsuit. Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which the skeletal muscle tissue breaks down and releases its contents into the bloodstream, and it can be caused by overuse of the muscles. When the skeletal muscle material enters the bloodstream, it can potentially lead to kidney failure. 'There was pressure by the teachers that if you don't perform you don't get to go, you don't get to participate in activities. You don't get to be on the squad, and for young kids that really want to be on a team, that's a powerful motivation to work through the pain,' Sawicki said. 'And that's exactly what happened to the boys in the football case.' It's not the first time the school has been linked to a case of rhabdomyolysis among its student athletes, either. In 2023, several football players from the high school were hospitalized and reportedly diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis after being forced to do similarly grueling exercises, Sawicki, who represented a handful of players in lawsuits, said. 'This is Rockwall Heath High School. The exact same high school where the 20+ boys that we know of were hospitalized or required treatment after a football workout,' Sawicki said. 'If I had gotten this call about another school in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, yeah maybe I could understand. This is the same exact school.' One of the findings in that case was the need for better education for the teachers about the potential risks associated with extreme physical activity. Sawicki said that "in the football investigation, there were discussions about how [rhabdomyolysis] training needed to be a part of it." According to the cheerleader's lawsuit, a one of the coaches allegedly admitted that she had "no rhabdomyolysis training," and said that in hindsight "I would not assign [burpees] again." All three of the coaches named in the lawsuit have resigned their positions on the cheer team. A Rockwall Independent School District investigation found that the "three teachers' actions violated at least five different district policies," according to the report. The investigation determined that the cheer coaches "did not follow the doctor's orders" in its handling of the sick cheerleader, and noted that "there is a lack of knowledge and training by the coaches regarding rhabdomyolysis." Initially the girl's parents just wanted the school to pay for her medical bills, but the Sawicki claims the school "dragged out" the appeals process for months and then determined that "by law, please know that the district is unable to provide compensation because such compensation would be a prohibited gift of public funds." After that, the parents decided to sue.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Arizona mom explains how TikTok saved her son's life
An Arizona mother claimed a TikTok saved her son's life in an extraordinary moment the internet pinpointed the boys symptoms early on. Nicholas McCollum, 7, was diagnosed with the flu after experiencing a fever and mobility issues, but the mother remembered how TikTok's urged parents to get a certain type of blood test. 'His fever was about 103-104 degrees, and that morning he said he couldn't walk,' his mom, Jennifer McCollum, told Live 5 News. As doctors were about to discharge Nicholas, his mother spoke up and pushed for further attention for her son. 'They were going to send me home, and I said I want his CK levels checked,' she said. 'I got looked at like it was so weird to ask for CK levels for a child because this diagnosis is usually only in athletes and cross-fitters.' Nicholas was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a disorder of skeletal muscle breakdown that releases toxins into the bloodstream, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 'They were going to send me home, and I said I want his CK levels checked,' she said. 'I got looked at like it was so weird to ask for CK levels for a child because this diagnosis is usually only in athletes and cross-fitters' It can lead to muscle death and kidney failure, and often presents after overexertion, trauma, medications or an underlying health condition. Common signs include muscle weakness or stiffness, muscle pain or a change in urine color. Around 26,000 people in the United States develop the condition every year, according to Cleveland Clinic. The Phoenix-area mother said the social media platform reminded her to advocate for her son's health and push for the right diagnosis. Nicholas has since returned home and has been feeling much better following his diagnosis.
